Illegal Migration Act 2023

The Illegal Migration Act 2023 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, introduced by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Suella Braverman, in March 2023.[1] The main focus of the bill is to reduce or end "small boat crossings", across the English Channel, by ways described as "pushing against international law".[2][3]

Illegal Immigration Act 2023
Long titleAn Act to make provision for and in connection with the removal from the United Kingdom of persons who have entered or arrived in breach of immigration control; to make provision about detention for immigration purposes; to make provision about unaccompanied children; to make provision about victims of slavery or human trafficking; to make provision about leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; to make provision about citizenship; to make provision about the inadmissibility of certain protection and certain human rights claims relating to immigration; to make provision about the maximum number of persons entering the United Kingdom annually using safe and legal routes; and for connected purposes.
Citation2023 c. 37
Introduced bySuella Braverman, Secretary of State for the Home Department (Commons)
Baron Murray of Blidworth, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Borders (Lords)
Territorial extent England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Dates
Royal assent20 July 2023
Commencement20 July 2023
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through Parliament
Records of Parliamentary debate relating to the statute from Hansard
Text of statute as originally enacted

The legislation proposes to detain and remove those from the UK who arrive in that country by illegal means, as well as blocking them from returning. Its announcement follows a sharp increase in the number of migrants crossing the English Channel by boat, which increased from 300 annually in 2018 to 45,000 in 2022,[4] and 3,150 as of March 2023.[5] This issue was one of five key priorities outlined in January 2023 by prime minister Rishi Sunak,[6] who tweeted: "If you come here illegally, you can't claim asylum. You can't benefit from our modern slavery protections. You can't make spurious human rights claims and you can't stay."[7][8] The proposed bill has been met with backlash from UK rights groups and United Nations agencies, and questions about its legality have been raised.[9][10][11]

The bill drew criticism from BBC sports presenter Gary Lineker, who posted tweets about the plans, including one in which he described its language as "not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s".[12] The BBC subsequently removed him from his presenting role on Match of the Day, saying Lineker's statement violated their impartiality policy. The company's actions led to other journalists and commentators withdrawing in support of Lineker.[13][14][15]

The bill had its third reading in the House of Commons on 26 April 2023. MPs voted 289–230 in favour of the bill, which was then sent to the House of Lords for consideration.[16]

On 5 July 2023, the government confirmed that they would go ahead with the bill, despite defeat in the House of Lords.[17]

On 11 July 2023, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick confirmed the government did not support what he described as “little short of wrecking amendments” to the bill.[18]

On 20 July 2023, the bill received royal assent.

See also

References
  1. "Braverman claims 100m people could qualify for asylum without law change". The Guardian. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. "Rishi Sunak: Hurdles in the race to pass Illegal Migration Bill". BBC News. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  3. "Suella Braverman: small boats plan will push boundaries of international law". The Guardian. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  4. "Small boats: New law to stop illegal Channel crossings set out". BBC News. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  5. "Britain's controversial asylum plan explained". The Economic Times. 8 March 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  6. "Why the U.K.'s 'Illegal Migration Bill' Is Probably Illegal". Time. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  7. "U.K.'s Sunak pledges to stop cross-Channel migrants". The Hindu. 8 March 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  8. "What Is UK's Proposed Illegal Migration Bill? What Does It Mean For Asylum Seekers?". Outlook India. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  9. Bryant, Tom; Ambrose, Tom; Sparrow, Andrew (7 March 2023). "UN refugee agency 'profoundly concerned' by UK's illegal migration bill saying it amounts to an asylum ban – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  10. Syal, Rajeev; Siddique, Haroon (7 March 2023). "What does the UK government's bill on illegal immigration propose?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  11. Keay, Lara (8 March 2023). "Is the government's new Illegal Migration Bill legal?". Sky News. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  12. Crew, Jemma; Seddon, Sean (8 March 2023). "Gary Lineker says he will 'keep speaking for those with no voice' after asylum row". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  13. Gretener, Issy Ronald,Jorge Engels,Jessie (11 March 2023). "BBC's flagship soccer show boycotted over Gary Lineker impartiality row". CNN.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. "Gary Lineker row: Match of the Day 2 expected to be broadcast in much reduced format".
  15. Russell, Rachel; Adams, Charley (10 March 2023). "Gary Lineker to step back from presenting Match of the Day". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  16. Seddon, Paul (26 April 2023). "Illegal Migration Bill passes as Tory rebellion defused". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  17. "Rishi Sunak pressing ahead with bill to curb small boats". BBC.
  18. "Migration bill: Minister accuses Lords of trying to wreck asylum reforms". BBC.
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